1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to safety and debris containment devices for machinery. More particularly, the invention relates to mechanical guards on industrial process equipment. The invention has particular utility in guards on the bottom of stationary automated machinery for cartoning articles.
2. Background Information
The state of the art includes various devices and methods for keeping personnel out of machinery while it is operating to prevent them from being injured. One common device is a mechanical guard that closes off a dangerous portion of the machine while it is operating. Since people must be able to access the machinery behind the guard for such things as maintenance, setup, and adjustment, the guards are typically completely removable or hinged so they can be swung open for access to the machine.
Packaging machines and other stationary process machines typically cover a large area of floor space. To keep people out from under these machines, skirting is often used which extends between the machine's legs from the frame of the machine to the floor. Skirting may be solid or mesh and may be attached to the frame and/or legs of the machine or may be free standing. The machines are usually raised some height above the floor to put the operating portions where people interface with the machine at an optimum height for people. This optimum height is different for different machines. For the same machine this optimum height may be different for different purchasers. Therefore, a different height skirting may be required depending on a purchaser's requirements. If the height of the machine above the floor needs to change significantly for some reason, new size skirting is required. To eliminate the variable size skirting, guards can be attached to the underside of the machine. However, gravity makes it more difficult to remove and attach such guards.
On process machinery, debris often falls through the machine to the floor where it must be removed. For machines which are close to the floor, it may be difficult for people to reach and remove fallen debris. For machines raised from the floor with skirting, the process of cleaning debris is somewhat easier, but skirts must be removed and set somewhere, and people must still reach under the machine to remove the debris. For machines with guards on the underside of the machine, a guard laden with debris can be very heavy and even dangerous to remove. As the guard is removed, debris can fall off and be scattered onto the floor, making clean up an even bigger job.
On packaging machines, the debris can include articles to be packaged, such as full cans or bottles, and packaging material. Because this debris can be quite heavy and bulky, in the past, packaging machines have typically used skirting as guards around the base of the machine and debris is allowed to fall to the floor where it is periodically swept out from under the machine. If a bottle or can containing liquid bursts as it hits the floor, the liquid covers a portion of the floor and fallen debris making clean up more troublesome.
Applicant's invention provides a guard which overcomes the limitations and shortcomings of the prior art. It is an object of the present invention to provide a guard that permits safer and easier removal of debris caused by operation of the machine. It is another object of the present invention to permit dumping of debris to the side of the machine onto the floor or into a receptacle when the guard opens. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a safety feature of preventing access to working machinery from below the machine while the machine is operating. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a guard which can be used on a machine regardless of the height of the machine above the floor. It is another object of the present invention to provide a guard which eliminates the need for safety skirting around the base of a machine.